15 July 2023 , 06:18
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A group of Japanese scientists have discovered a link between gum disease and your brain shrinking.
A study found that simply losing a tooth in gum disease patients had an equal effect on their hippocampus - which affects memory and Alzheimer's disease - getting smaller as a single year's ageing.
Dementia is the leading UK killer, last year accounting for 11.4% of all English and Welsh deaths at almost 66,000, having increased by 5,000 from 2021.
Meanwhile, not brushing teeth is one of the most common causes of gum disease.
Dr Satoshi Yamaguchi from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, said: "The findings suggest that retaining teeth with severe gum disease is associated with brain atrophy.
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"These results highlight the importance of preserving the health of the teeth and not just retaining the teeth.
“Tooth loss and gum disease, which is inflammation of the tissue around the teeth that can cause shrinkage of the gums and loosening of the teeth, are very common, so evaluating a potential link with dementia is incredibly important.”
In the study, participants had dental exams, memory tests, and brain scans; researchers looked at the volume of their hippocampus, and measured their gum tissue over four years.
The Japanese scientists found the number of teeth and amount of gum disease was linked to changes in the left hippocampus of the brain, the area associated with Alzheimer’s.
Gum disease affects over half of Brits, whilst one in two people will develop dementia in their lifetime, according to the Office of Health Economics.
Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, affects cognitive function, memory, and behaviour, and can make it difficult to perform daily activities and maintain independence - leading to frustration, confusion, anxiety, and a loss of self-worth.
Almost a million people are estimated to have dementia in the UK. One in 11 Brits over 65 have been diagnosed with the disease, and cases are expected to rise to 1.6million by 2050.
Dr Yamaguchi said: “Our study found that these conditions may play a role in the health of the brain area that controls thinking and memory, giving people another reason to take better care of their teeth.
“Controlling the progression of gum disease through regular dental visits is crucial, and teeth with severe gum disease may need to be extracted and replaced with appropriate prosthetic devices."
After adjusting for age, for people with mild gum disease having one less tooth was associated with a faster rate of brain shrinkage in the left hippocampus - equivalent to nearly one year of brain ageing.
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Conversely, for people with severe gum disease having one more tooth was associated with faster brain shrinkage in the same area of the brain, equivalent to 1.3 years of brain ageing.